


Take a Chance

by am_i_write



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Bad Exes, Bokuaka - Freeform, Fluff, Getting Together, Homophobia, I swear, Insecurity, M/M, Mentions of Sex, Mentions of Violence, and some kuroken, mentions of threats, there is a lot of fluff too though
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-30
Updated: 2017-10-01
Packaged: 2018-10-25 15:36:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 18,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10767225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/am_i_write/pseuds/am_i_write
Summary: Bokuto Koutarou is terrified of rejection. Akaashi Keiji is exhausted from relationships that only like him for his looks.Neither are sure they're ready for a relationship, but sometimes you just have to take a chance.





	1. Um...

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own these characters :)

"Bokuto, you're a hot guy, that's all I'm saying," Kuroo insisted, leaning back in his chair, making Kenma roll his eyes. The three of them were relaxing after finals at a coffee shop. "If you wanna get a date, you can get a date. I see girls checking you out all the time."

Bokuto leaned in closer to Kuroo, frowning. "But bro, I don't want a girl. I'm gay."

Kuroo cackled. "Oh I know, but if girls are checking you out, then guys are too. Guys are just less conspicuous about it, so you have to pursue them."

Bokuto nodded. Kuroo was certainly wise in his own way, even if not everyone understood it. It didn't make his advice infallible, though. "But I don't want a repeat of the Oikawa incident."

"Nothing can ever go that horribly again, bro," Kuroo assured him. Kenma rolled his eyes, slipping his phone out of his pocket. "Kenma, tell Bo here something smart."

Kenma's golden eyes stared into Bokuto's until the former Fukurodani captain started to squirm. The two-toned haired former setter opened his mouth, but closed it again as his eyes slowly trailed off to the side.

"Uh, Kenma?" said Kuroo. "You still with us? You've kinda-"

"How about that guy?" Kenma interrupted, nodding to a guy sitting a few tables away. Bokuto and Kuroo both turned to look, and Bokuto gasped. That had to be the most beautiful guy in the world.

His dark hair was curled around an angular, sculpted face. Half-lidded eyes gazed at a book held in hands with some of the longest fingers Bokuto had ever seen. Damn, if he hadn't had a hand kink before, he did now.

"Damn, Kenma, " Kuroo whistled. "How'd you manage to find the world's second hottest guy in the world within three seconds? You being the first, of course."

"What about you?" Kenma asked.

"Okay, you've got me there. That guy is the third hottest guy in the world then," he amended, until Bokuto shot him a pouty look. "Okay, fourth hottest guy in the world, but that's as far as I'm going." Bokuto beamed, and a small smirk played at Kenma's lips.

"But bro," Bokuto said, eyebrows drawing in. "How do I get that guy to fall in love with me?"

"Like I said, Bo," Kuroo replied with a shrug, "you just gotta grow some balls and pursue him yourself."

"I can't pursue hot coffee shop guy; he's way out of my league!" Bokuto protested, not realizing that he was shouting until he noticed all the patrons of the shop were staring at him, including said hot guy. Bokuto slid down in his sweet while Kuroo cackled.

"Well," Kuroo wheezed in between chortles, "you already have his attention. Go get 'em, cowboy."

Bokuto shook his head fiercely. "I just made a fool of myself! I'm never leaving my home again!"

"Riiight," Kuroo said, one eyebrow raised. "C'mon, what's the worst that could happen?"

"Oikawa incident," Bokuto reminded him.

"We already established that you can only go up from there," Kuroo replied. "C'mon, either go for it or drop it. You're great, Bo, but if you're gonna go on about every hot guy you see, I want to see some follow through. I know rejection sucks, but you'll never succeed if you don't try."

"Please go," Kenma said, not looking up from his phone. "And be quiet about it."

Bokuto smile was wary, but he stood up nevertheless. With his friends behind him, how bad could this go?

Very bad.

As he stood, Bokuto's foot accidentally snagged one of the chair legs, tipping it over with a loud crash. Much glaring ensued.

"Why me?" he whined, straightening the chair, but Kuroo was already reassuring him that, "If he doesn't love this part of you, your relationship would never work out anyways." In perfect sync, he and Kenma reached out to push him towards the corner.

Bokuto tripped over his own feet, stumbling towards the table, but managed not to fall. He cleared his throat. "Uh, hey, I'm Bokuto Koutarou. Nice to meet you."

The boy looked up from his book with half-lidded eyes and an blank expression. "Hello, Bokuto-san. Do you need something?"

Bokuto glanced at his feet, intimidated by the other's attractiveness. "Um, well, you're very beautiful, and I thought that maybe we could hang out sometime? If you want, that is. I mean, it's okay if you don't, I'm just saying that if you did-"

"Bokuto-san," the boy interrupted, making Bokuto flush. "Sorry, but I'm not looking for a casual hookup." A casual hookup? That was so not Bokuto it almost made him laugh.

"Me neither, me neither!" Bokuto assured him. "I'm very emotional, and I cry very hard even when it doesn't work out with somebody I only went on one date with."

"Um." Hot Coffee Shop Guy blinked owlishly.

"Oh shit, was that too much to say? I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! Please don't hate me!" said Bokuto, dragging a hand through his spiky hair. Damn it, why couldn't Bokuto ever reign himself in? 

"No, no, Bokuto-san, I'm just not used to people being so... open about their feelings." A pause. "It's... cute."

Bokuto's brain short circuited as he felt his jaw drop. "Are you alright, sir?" the beautiful boy asked, frowning a bit.

"Uh, um, yeah, yeah, of course," Bokuto said, trying not to fidget his hands too much. "I'm just surprised. Really surprised." Since when were his emotions cute? People were always getting annoyed by his mood swings and intense feelings.

"Do people usually give you a hard time about your emotions or something?" Bokuto froze. Damn, could this guy actually be as perceptive as Kenma?

"Uh, well, my mood swings kind of.. annoy people." Bokuto shrugged, scratching the back of his neck. "And sometimes they don't understand why I feel things so intensely, but Kuroo says my heart is just too big." The other boy was frowning and shit, of course Bokuto managed to upset him.

"Kuroo?" The boy's eyes and voice were distant.

"He's my best friend." Hot Coffee Shop Guy nodded, making a vague humming sound.

"Are you still asking me out?" he asked suddenly, eyes locking on to Bokuto's. Bokuto nodded vehemently. "Well, then, here's my number." He scribbled something on a napkin, and pushed it across the table. Bokuto could hear Kuroo cheering from across the shop, but he ignored it.

"Wait, what's your name?"

"Akaashi." A pause. "Akaashi Keiji."

"Keiji," Bokuto breathed.

A beat.

"Look, Bokuto-san, I have class in half an hour, so I have to get going." At Bokuto's stricken expression, he added, "I'm not brushing you off, but I really do have to go. Text me this evening, I'll be busy until then."

\---

Akaashi had been confessed to by plenty of times. He'd lost count long ago of how many people asked him out, yet not one of those confessions failed to mention how beautiful they thought Keiji was.

So, when some wild-haired guy from across Justify The Beans started yelling about a 'hot coffee shop guy,' Akaashi knew their was a good chance it was him. It wasn't arrogant, but merely logical. And, when he paused to glance up, sure enough the boy who'd yelled was sheepishly gazing right back at him.

/Maybe he'll be too ashamed to come back here,/ Akaashi hoped, hiding behind his book. /I'm really not in the mood for dealing with this today./

For the past year Akaashi hadn't gone on a date. He just didn't have the time to waste, and judging by his past experiences, going out with anyone would be a waste of time. It never worked out. Sometimes it would turn out that the person was just using his good looks to make their ex jealous, or the person would realize that they were really only interested in Akaashi for his looks and not his personality, after getting frustrated with how reserved he was. Often it would turn out the other person only wanted casual sex, while Akaashi was more interested in developing a relationship.

So, Akaashi would focus on his studies. Who needed a relationship, anyway?

For now, he was relaxing and reading a book.

At least, he was until he heard a loud crash. Glancing up, he wasn't surprised to see that it was the boy who'd yelled that had tipped over his chair. Shit. He was coming over, wasn't he?

Deciding against rudely walking right out of the coffee shop, Akaashi hunched over his book in attempt to discourage the other. Of course, it did not work.

"Uh hey," the boy began, shuffling from foot to foot. "I'm Bokuto Koutarou. Nice to meet you."

Stifling his sigh, Akaashi met the other's gaze. Bokuto's appearance was striking and unusual, and Akaashi admired the black hair streaked with white up close. "Hello, Bokuto-san. Do you need something?" /Keep it formal. Stay distant./

It never worked.

And so the wild boy with the electrifying eyes proceeded to ask him out, stumbling over his words and digging himself deeper and deeper into a hole until Akaashi had the mercy to interrupt him.

"Bokuto-san," he said, and Bokuto looked relieved that he'd been stopped. "Sorry, but I'm not looking for a casual hookup."

The boy's eyes widened. "Me neither, me neither. I'm very emotional, and I cry very hard even when it doesn't work out with somebody I only went on one date with."

A beat.

"Um." Akaashi had been expecting disappointment or even anger, but not this. Was this guy being genuine?

"Oh shit, was that too much to say? I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! Please don't hate me!" Bokuto begged, his forehead creasing to an almost comical extent, if he didn't look so sad.

"No, no," Akaashi was quick to reassure him, suddenly feeling very protective of this stranger. /Damn it, Akaashi,/ he thought to himself. /You're letting this one break down your walls too easily./ "I'm just not used to people being so... open about their feelings." /More like you're just used to not sharing any of yours./

He'd hoped that this would be enough reassurance for the other boy, but when he still looked dejected, it seemed that Akaashi would have to be as honest as the other. "It's," he paused, taking a breath of courage. "Cute."

Bokuto's jaw dropped immediately. After a few moments of unresponsiveness, Akaashi asked, "Are you alright, sir?" /Keep it formal, Keiji./

Bokuto assured Him that he was, though Akaashi didn't buy it for a second. After a brief stare down, Bokuto meekly added, "I'm just surprised. Really surprised."

Akaashi frowned. Was it that surprising that someone could find his energy and emotions sweet? Did people make him feel insecure about himself?

When he asked, Bokuto froze and flushed. "Uh, well, my mood swings kind of.. annoy people. And sometimes they don't understand why I feel things so intensely, but Kuroo says my heart is just too big."

"Kuroo?" Akaashi felt the words come out of his mouth subconsciously, thinking deeply. He vaguely heard the other boy tell him that Kuroo was the name of his best friend, but he was more preoccupied with contemplating the boy standing in front of him.

Never in his life had Keiji met someone so genuinely good.

Damn it, when the spiky-haired boy had stumbled his way over here, Keiji had been prepared to civilly but firmly turn him down. He hadn't expected to meet someone he felt so drawn to. It was almost a protective feeling. It seemed like people gave Bokuto-san shit just for harmlessly being himself, and Akaashi instinctively felt the need to make this boy feel adored. No one had ever inspired this feeling in him before.

Not to mention the fact that he seemed to really want Keiji. He didn't seem put off by his formality or emotional distance, and it was clear he and Akaashi had similar goals of a long-term relationship. Maybe this could actually work...

/Damn it, Akaashi. Don't think like that. You swore you wouldn't waste your time dating anyone anymore, at least not while at university./

Fuck it.

"Are you still asking me out?" he blurted. The other boy's eyes widened as he violently bobbed his head up and down. "Well, then here's my number." Keiji grabbed a napkin and his trusty fine-liner, scribbling down the ten digits that could connect this boy and him. A cheer came from across Justify The Beans, presumably Bokuto's friend Kuroo, but Akaashi payed no mind.

His eyes were filing away each twitch of Bokuto's facial muscles as he registered what was happening. "What, what's your name?" said the boy, voice unexpectedly soft as he held the napkin in his hands as if cradling an egg.

"Akaashi." Akaashi swallowed the lump in his throat. /He just threw his heart out for me, give him something./ "Akaashi Keiji."

Bokuto repeated his name ever so softly, and Akaashi could hear those syllables roll off his tongue again and again for the rest of eternity without getting bored.

Then, a tugging sensation awoke in the back of his mind. Shit! Akaashi had to attend class. Ah fuck, Bokuto would think he was brushing him off. His previous partners wouldn't have tolerated this.

But then again, Bokuto wasn't really like them, was he?

So, Akaashi took the chance and explained to him that he had class to get to, with instructions to text him that evening. Bokuto's eyes were bright, and Akaashi let a smile tug at his lips as he exited the coffee shop.


	2. Soulmates? More like Sowlmates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akaashi asks Bokuto out on a date. Bokuto is nervous that he'll go into emo mode and scare Akaashi off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry I took so long to update!! Shortly after I posted this I got extremely sick. I was unable to write, and there was a lot of work to catch up on. There are many deadlines lately, and I had to prioritize that over my story. My updates should come far quicker now that I am caught up and in good health. So sorry for the delay!

The second it hit five o'clock—that counted as evening, right?—Bokuto texted Keiji. And then texted him again. And again and again because WHY WASN'T HE ANSWERING? Had Bokuto scared him off? Was he being too emotional? Too clingy? Too loud? Too annoying? Bokuto had been pacing around the apartment he shared with Kuroo and Kenma, until Kenma threatened to kick him out if he dared make another noise.

Nothing could ease Bokuto's insecurities, though Kuroo tried to calm him down. They lay side by side on Koutarou's bed. "Bo, it's gonna be okay. If he doesn't love you how you are, then why what are you losing? Nothing. He's the one losing you."

Kuroo had a point, but he wasn't sure how to respond. "Kenma's angry at me," Bokuto said instead, sniffling.

"Kenma's just overwhelmed. You know he loves you, Bo. He doesn't waste his time with people he doesn't like. See? Kenma and I have got your back." 

Just then, a beep came.

Bokuto yelped, launching out of his bed and snatching his phone off the desk. He let out a whoop of triumph, seeing the screen read [Akaashi]. The text explained that he'd been in class until then, and he didn't like texting during class.

"Ooh, studious," Kuroo said, reading over Bokuto's shoulder as he tapped out a reply. Bokuto already shared everything with Kuroo, so he didn't mind.

"Mmhmm!" Bokuto was bouncing up and down in glee. "I'm gonna have the prettiest and smartest boyfriend in the world!" 

"Dude, you have to at least ask me out first," Kuroo joked, but Bokuto only had time to give him a fleeting grin before another ping came from his phone.

Bokuto grimaced as he read the text, feeling the smile drop from his face. "He just asked if I'm free Friday evening."

"That's great, Bo!" Kuroo cheered, but Bokuto didn't share the sentiment. Texting was easy. Behind his phone he could pause, collect his bearings, consult Kuroo before replying with anything stupid. He'd always had more success with relationships that consisted mostly of texting. As soon as they spent too much time around the real Bokuto, they came to the conclusion that he was just too much to handle.

"Woah. What's wrong?" 

"He won't like me once he gets to know me," Bokuto whispered. "They never do."

Kuroo frowned. "C'mere." He held out his arms, and Bokuto flopped into them gratefully. "You're too afraid of being rejected, Bo. From what you've told me, this boy already thinks your cute despite your total lack of social skill. I mean, how much worse of a first impression could you have made?"

Bokuto stuck his tongue out at his dick of a bro. "He hasn't seen me like that, though. What if /it/ happens?"

"Yeah, yeah. Bokuto's famous emo mode." Kuroo made a face. "C'mon. You went through all that trouble to ask him out, and now you don't even want to go out with him?"

"I can't lose him now!"

Kuroo sighed, rubbing a hand over his face, and Bokuto felt ashamed. Why couldn't he just get his emotions under control? Now even Kuroo was getting sick of him. "Bo, I know what you're thinking. And I still love you, okay? As does Kenma. I promise." A pause. "If he isn't the one, then he isn't the one. But you'll never find the one if you keep hiding in fear. I'll always have your back, and I'll always be ready with more pep talks, but c'mon. You're Bokuto Koutarou. You're a powerful ace, a loyal friend, an animal rights activist, and the best bro ever."

Bokuto sniffled, feeling tears run down his cheeks. "Thanks." His voice was hoarse and hollow.

"C'mon. Go text that super hot dude back."

"He is hot, isn't he?" Bokuto said, wistful. With just a dash of reluctance, and an inordinately loud sigh, he sat up and typed out a reply to Akaashi confirming that he was indeed free on Friday.

After a couple of agonizing minutes, he got a reply. Bokuto felt himself grow paler as he read the text. "He wants to meet me at Justify the Beans again," he whispered. Then, after pausing for dramatics, he added, "And after that he says that there is going to be a /surprise./"

Kuroo grinned. "Nice."

"Not nice!" Bokuto squeaked. "If there is one thing that makes me emotional, it's surprises! You know that!" 

"Bo, stop this. No more emo mode," Kuroo instructed. "This boy is obviously interested enough in you to put a lot of thought into this date. You're going to go and fall in love and live happily ever after, and if you don't? So be it. You'll live and move on and fall in love all over again. Don't let fear take that away from you."

Bokuto felt himself tear up, slumping onto Kuroo's shoulder. What had he done to deserve such a fantastic best friend? "But Kuroo-"

"Not buts. And if you aren't going to text this sexy motherfucker back, then I will." Before Koutarou could react, he felt the cool metal sliding out of his palm.

Bokuto yelped, lunging for the phone. Kuroo just laughed, though, hopping up and dancing out of his reach. "Give it back!"

"Nope," Kuroo said, fingers tapping across Bokuto's screen. "Dear Hot Guy," Kuroo narrated his typing aloud, and Bokuto felt his face flame up just imagining what embarrassing things Kuroo could concoct to scare Akaashi off. 

"My sexy ass would love to go out with you," Kuroo continued, darting out of the way just in time to miss Bokuto's tackle. "And I'm sure I'll be pleasantly surprised by anything that includes you. Aaaaand sent."

"Kuroo!" This time Bokuto's tackle hit home, and he and Kuroo tumbled to the ground with a crash. The wild flailing and yelling continued, Bokuto fuelled by mortification. Only Kenma exiting his and Kuroo's shared room to give them a pointed glare was able to stop their shenanigans.

"Bo," Kuroo said, wheezing and short of breath, trying and failing to push the larger boy off of him. "I never sent that message. I never even typed it out." 

After letting out a context appropriate squawk, Bokuto scrolled through his phone to ensure that Akaashi had not been the receiver of any embarrassing messages. "Bro, why would you do that to me?"

"To get you to man up."

"That's sexist," said Bokuto with a pout, trying to mimic Oikawa, a friend of their's. Judging by Kuroo's stifled snickering, though, it was most likely a flop.

"Sorry, Bo. Now go get the man of your dreams." Kuroo wiggled his eyebrows up and down dramatically. 

"Fine," said Bokuto, sighing dramatically to emphasize just how horrible Kuroo was to him. Tetsurou just winked, knowing that Bokuto's need to show love and appreciation would eventually give in. "Thanks."

"Anything for Koutarou."

-

An owl conservatory. What made Akaashi think that taking Bokuto to an owl conservatory would be a good idea? No one's idea of an ideal first date was a fricking aviary, /Why Akaashi? Why?/

Bokuto was going to hate it, and Bokuto was going to leave.

/It'd be for the best, anyway/, he reminded himself. It was best not to get his hopes up. Someone as warm as Bokuto would never love someone as distant as Akaashi. 

He pushed open the door to the cafe fifteen minutes early. That way he could calm down, drink some coffee, and sort himself out before talking to Bokuto.

Boy was he wrong.

"Keiji!" Akaashi jumped a little. Bokuto was already here?

Indeed, the wild boy was sitting at a table near the back, waving vigorously. Akaashi tentatively waved back, approaching the table with reservation.

"You're... early," he commented.

Bokuto beamed. "I didn't want to disappoint you!"

Akaashi frowned. "You don't have to worry about disappointing me, Bokuto-san." The other boy just shrugged. "Well, I'm going to go get a coffee. Did you already have a drink?"

"Nope. I was waiting for you!" Akaashi felt himself flush with embarrassment. This boy had been waiting here doing nothing... just for him?

They went to the counter and bought their coffees before heading out to walk to the next destination.

"So," said Bokuto immediately after exiting the shop. "What's the surprise?"

"It's not a surprise if I tell you," Akaashi said with a shrug. Bokuto pouted and opened his mouth, but Akaashi interrupted him before he could speak. "Just wait for it, Bokuto-san."

"Alright. But you don't have to be so formal," the other boy replied, tugging on the spikes of his hair. It seemed to be a habitual and absentminded gesture, and Akaashi felt an uncomfortable tugging sensation in his chest "You can call me Koutarou, or at least just Bokuto."

A pause. "Maybe." /Don't get attached./

Bokuto sent him a blinding grin. "Hey hey hey! That's a start." Akaashi felt himself smile back. The boy's enthusiasm was contagious. 

"Bokuto Koutarou, you're going to be the death of me."

The other boy froze in his tracks, his face contorted into Medusa-esque horror. "Eh? What did I do? I'm sorry Keiji!" 

"It's okay, Bokuto-san. I didn't mean anything bad by it."

"But-"

"We're here," Akaashi cut him off again.

Bokuto faltered, head slowly tilting up as he took in their location. "Tokyo Owl Conservatory," he read aloud, eyes wide and jaw hanging open, staying like that for several moments. Just as Keiji was getting insecure about his choice, though, the other boy turned to him with stars in his eyes. "How did you know?"

"Know what?"

"How much I love owls, of course! How did you know?"

"I... didn't. I just really like coming here, so I thought you might as well." Bokuto inhaled sharply, eyes widening at this. "What?"

"We're soulmates."

Akaashi froze. He felt his eyes drift closed, making an attempt to regulate his breathing. /Stay distant or get hurt./ "Are you mocking me?" His voice sounded eerily cold even to himself.

Bokuto's eyes widened into circles, and that combined with the spiky hair made him resemble something like an owl; it was almost comical, but not quite. "No! I would never!"

"Soulmates? Really?" Keiji scoffed. When the other boy didn't reply, Keiji stole a glance at him. The other boy looked shocked and hurt, a sliver of doubt stared to creep into Akaashi's mind. "You barely even know me."

"But you're so kind," whispered Bokuto. "You were nice about me being emotional, and you care about your studies, and you wanted to surprise me, and you love owls. Not to mention that you're super hot. Like, really super hot. What more could I ask for in a partner?"

Akaashi could practically feel his future self blaming his present self for the wrinkles that would surely appear due to all this frowning. "You barely even know me," he repeated. "You don't know if we get along, if we have similar values, or if we even share any interests outside of owls. We haven't even spent an hour together."

"But being soulmates isn't about the probability of being perfect for each other," Bokuto insisted. "It's about just knowing that this is the person you're meant to be with. It's instinctual. Emotional." Akaashi watched as Bokuto's arm movements got even more wild as he got more passionate.

"But how do you know?" The words were out of Akaashi's mouth before he could stop it, barely a whisper.

Bokuto owned his mouth to respond, before closing it again. Just as Akaashi was about to break the silence with a fake cough, the kindhearted still-a-stranger began to speak. "What makes you so frightened about the idea of being soulmates?" Keiji felt his jaw drop down. Was he that easy to read? "Did you just go out with me out of pity?"

Keiji was so stunned that it took him several moments to respond. "Of course not, Bokuto-san. Despite how generous your impression of me is, I'm not that nice of a person."

Bokuto frowned, considering. The air was tense and heavy, and Akaashi had to force himself to instinctually search for escape routes. "But you are that nice. I see it in your eyes." Keiji opened his mouth to protest, but Bokuto cut him off. "No. You are that nice. Did somebody hurt you? Did somebody make you afraid of being nice?"

Akaashi was floored. He was the one who could read others like a book, but he kept himself a mystery. How could this boy see through him that easily? "Bokuto, um, I-"

"It's okay, 'Kaashi. You don't have to answer now. It's a big question," Bokuto was nodding vigorously as he spoke, not that his super-gelled hair moved an inch.

Akaashi swallowed. "Thank you, Bokuto-san. Would you still like to look at some owls?" Bokuto's grin was blinding.

"I /owl/-ways want to look at owls."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think in the comments! Kudos and comments are everything to a writer.


	3. Give Us a Chance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bokuto just wants to make Keiji feel special, but not everything goes perfectly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy~

Bokuto was having a hard time believing that he'd never been here before. Really, even with his obsession with owls, he'd never come to the owl conservatory? He even lived fairly close by!

And it was beautiful.

Almost as beautiful as Keiji.

Bokuto was torn between looking at all the diverse species of owls and staring at Keiji's profile, lit up by the sun. The curly wisps of black hair were doing weird things to Bokuto's stomach, and man did he want to curl his fingers in them. Was that weird? It was probably weird. But Akaashi wouldn't mind, would he?

Akaashi. Akaashi Keiji. Bokuto Keiji? Akaashi Koutarou.... "Stop that!" Bokuto hissed to himself. Akaashi raised a questioning brow. "Sorry, Keiji. I was just talking to myself. It's all good." After a moment more of suspicious staring, Akaashi just shrugged. 

"If you say so, Bokuto-san. But if you need to talk about anything, I'm here."

"Ah! So kind!" Bokuto could almost squeal. Akaashi was too wonderful for his own good, and Bokuto was falling too fast.

Why had he reacted so strangely to Bokuto calling him his soulmate, though? Who had ruined Keiji for love? Who had made Keiji think that he wasn't kind, that he wasn't perfect?

Bokuto would change that if it killed him. Akaashi–the man who had somehow known to take him to an owl conservatory–deserved better. He deserved to love himself, and Bokuto would make sure that he did.

Akaashi stepped forward to get a closer look at one owl, and Bokuto followed his gaze. "Look, Bokuto," he said, and Bokuto could hear the smile in his voice. "This owl looks like you."

"Wha?" Sure enough, the great horned owl definitely resembled himself. Bokuto grinned. "We have to find one that looks like Keiji!" 

"Bokuto-" said Akaashi, but that's all that Bokuto could catch before he was racing around to try and find one that resembled the gorgeous boy. 

\---

It took Akaashi several minutes of weaving through the crowds until he could find his date, sulking over by a penny press machine.

"There are no owls here that are as beautiful as Keiji," said Bokuto, pouting his lips. 

"That's okay, Bokuto-san," Akaashi said. Bokuto had already admitted to being very emotional, and while it didn't bother Keiji, he worried that he'd do something wrong. "I don't mind."

"But I mind!" cried Bokuto, eliciting more than a couple stares. "You found an owl that looked like me, but I couldn't do the same for you. I tried, 'Kaashi, I swear. But none of them have your wispy dark hair, or your kind but sharp eyes. How can I capture Keiji in an owl?"

"Bokuto-san. I told you; there's no need." But Bokuto seemed lost inside his head.

"Keiji, don't leave me." Akaashi's heart ached. "I'm sorry that I'm like this, but please stay."

Akaashi was not sure how to handle this situation. Finding an owl that looked like Bokuto had been a fun coincidence. Had something happened to Bokuto that made him feel as if he was in debt every time someone did something nice for him?

Well, that didn't matter at the moment. Consoling Bokuto was the only important thing. "Bokuto-san, do not apologize for being emotional." Bokuto just whimpered. "The great-horned owl was a special and fun surprise that we both enjoyed. There is no need for you to reciprocate anything. I promise."

Bokuto had seemed fairly despondent, until the words /I promise./ At that, his golden eyes widened, peaking up at Keiji through his lashes. "You promise?" the boy repeated.

"Yes," said Akaashi. "You do not have to be anything except yourself around me, Bokuto. I want to get to know Bokuto, not whatever fantasy version of yourself you think I want. All I want is you." 

At this point, Bokuto's mouth was hanging wide open. Akaashi swallowed. Had he been to forward? "But-" Bokuto started. "I am always this emotional. You will not always have such patience."

"No," Akaashi agreed. "I will have bad days, just as you will. But why don't we get to know each other better before either of us makes any hasty assumptions. Perhaps we will, um, come to," Keiji coughed, "love one another's insecurities. Will you give me the chance to love you, Koutarou?" /Be brave, Keiji./

"You're incredible," Bokuto breathed.

"I'll take that as a yes."

"Yes."

"Yes?"

A small smile overtook Bokuto's face. "Anything for my Keiji."

\---

"Kuroooo," Bokuto whined. "I cried because I couldn't find an owl like him. I'm always emotional, but I'm never that emotional. Why did today have to be so bad?"

Tetsurou, lying beside him on his bed, squirmed to face him. "I think you're very in love, bro. You just need time to relax around him, let the nervousness ease a bit. I can tell you really like him already, and you both just need to get used to one another. In a few weeks, you'll be just like an old married couple."

Bokuto sniffed, feeling much better already. "You really think so?"

"By the way you described it, I'd say he's just as into you as you are into him." Kuroo shrugged. "After all, he doesn't seem like the kind of guy who'd throw around emotionally charged speeches for just any person he barely knows."

"I disagree. Keiji's too nice to let anyone be sad ever." Bokuto was dead serious, so why was Kuroo grinning like that? "But Kuroo, I really couldn't blame him for not going out with me. I'm too much of a burden."

As Kuroo was opening his mouth to reply, Kenma popped into the room. "You left your phone in the living room. You got a message from Akaashi. He wants to go out with you again." He dropped the phone unceremoniously onto Bokuto's chest before padding back out. Sometimes, Kenma's quiet support was just was Bokuto needed.

"A burden, eh?" said Kuroo with a grin. "Akaashi sure doesn't seem to think so~."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I'm finishing up some exams, but now I will have more time for updates! Woohoo! Let me know what you thought about this chapter down in the comments~ 
> 
> Also, today is my birthday! Anyone else out there?


	4. Not Now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akaashi takes Bokuto to the park. (AKA: Robin was too busy to come up with anything original, and then they turned what was supposed to be a nice fluffy chapter into a sadness fest. Nice going @ myself)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT - This chapter contains content that may be triggering to some readers including mentions of sex, homophobia, bad exes, violence, and threats. Please do not read if you think it could be unsafe for you at all. If you still want to keep up with the story, either leave your contact information in the comments or message me on Tumblr at am-i-write so that I can send you a summary.
> 
> For those who are going to read the chapter, please let me know if I missed any trigger warnings. Thank you!

Akaashi was fucked. So, so fucked.

/Keiji, you can't fall in love within a couple of days./ Bokuto was wandering around the park, wide eyed and beaming. Akaashi couldn't believe that someone could be that in awe about a picnic in the park. What had he gotten himself into?

"Akaashi, you're so cool!" Bokuto's voice held a concerning amount of reverence in it. "You did this all for me? You're so creative and kind and amazing. Eh, but whenever I talk about it you go all red. See! Now you're even more red. You're so humble, Keiji."

"This is so embarrassing." To be honest, Akaashi had felt a bit unsure about the plan, thinking it was too boring for someone as vibrant as Bokuto. "Besides, I didn't even come up with this. My roommate planned it, and he cooked most of the food too."

"And you're honest!" cried Bokuto, tugging at the spikes of his hair; it was kind of cute. "How are you so perfect?" Wait, what? Bokuto wasn't annoyed by the fact that he couldn't even arrange something on his own?

"No one is perfect," said Keiji instead of voicing his insecurities. "You are only seeing my good side because you haven't known me long and I am trying to impress you." 

Bokuto let out a startled noise. "Eh? You're trying to impress me? I'm trying to impress you!"

"I'm pretty sure that's what dating is, Bokuto-san." Bokuto let out a surprised laugh, and Akaashi felt strangely warm. He wanted to make Bokuto laugh again. 

"Hey hey hey!" said Bokuto. "I'm dating the funniest and nicest and best guy ever. I must be awesome!" 

"Yeah, you are," said Akaashi with a small smile, turning away to avoid the embarrassment of Bokuto's gaze and choosing instead to spread out a blanket. Bokuto eagerly sat down on it, entertaining himself by making the blanket go from dark grey to light grey as he dragged his hand back and forth across the material.

"This blanket is so soft," said Bokuto. "I bet your hair is softer though. It looks soft. Real soft. If I had to drown in something, I would choose your hair."

Akaashi froze, unsure of how to respond to such an absurd statement. "I really hope I never hear anything that remotely resembles that sentence ever again." 

"Eh?!" Bokuto's eyes widened. "I'm sorry, Keiji! I didn't mean to say something weird. I made you uncomfortable now. Maybe I'm just not meant for dating. I should go."

"Don't go" said Akaashi. /Don't sound desperate. They can manipulate you when they know they've got you./ "I really like you, Bokuto. And even if I wouldn't drown in it, I think your hair looks really nice too."

The effect was immediate. Bokuto's eyes brightened and his posture straightened. "You really think so? You think I my hair is cool? I had a girlfriend once, and she thought it was weird. I wasn't too sad, though. I didn't know it at the time, but I'm gay. Really really gay. And I have cool hair!" So... all Bokuto needed was a few compliments to cheer him up? Akaashi was more than happy to do that. Bokuto deserved all the compliments in the world.

"Yes, your hair is as cool as you are gay," Akaashi said, and suddenly it struck him that Bokuto and he were already starting too... /get/ each other. It was as if he'd known Bokuto his whole life. Bokuto's suggestion of 'soulmates' echoed in his thoughts, but he dismissed it immediately. Soulmates were bullshit, after all. "Speaking of cool things, you should see the dessert my roommate Konoha made. It's incredible."

"Akaashi!" Bokuto tugged vigorously at his hair with both hands, voice anguished. "You're making me too excited. Quit that!" Akaashi found himself smiling involuntarily for the umpteenth time already that evening. /You're falling too fast too hard,/ he thought, though the other part of his mind protested, /But I can't help it./

Opening the picnic basket, Akaashi began to lay out the food, watching Bokuto's eager expressions through his lashes. He was so cute. Just as he was about to finish setting everything up, though, a shadow fell over them.

"Long time no see, Sexy." Akaashi froze, turning slowly to face the one person he couldn't bare to see right now. /Not now. Not in front of Bokuto. Not now, not now, not now. Not in front of Bokuto. Please no./

\---

Bokuto did not like the look on Akaashi's face one bit. "Hey, who are you?" A tall boy was looming over the two of them who were still sitting on the blanket. Akaashi was pale and rigid, while this other guy sneered and looked between the two of them.

"I should be the one asking that," said the boy. "After all, you're the one sitting with my boyfriend."

Bokuto frowned. Akaashi had a boyfriend? Had Akaashi been cheating on someone with him? Or had Bokuto been reading the situation all wrong this whole time? Maybe Akaashi meant dating in a just as friends way... Was that a thing?

"You're not my boyfriend anymore." Akaashi's voice was steel, and his eyes were cold. Bokuto shivered and flinched at the same time, making for an awkward shimmy that made Akaashi's ex smirk at him.

"Oh? Intimidated? I bet you thought Akaashi loved you, hm?" The boy laughed darkly, showing off a tongue piercing that intimidated Bokuto a little more than it should've. "Akaashi doesn't love anyone. He's heartless. You'll learn that soon enough. Someday he'll learn to love me, though. I've made sacrifices for him, and we belong together. He's mine, so back off."

"You can't claim-" Akaashi started, but Bokuto interrupted him. 

"You're wrong about Keiji, you bastard!" cried Koutarou. How dare this asshole accuse Keiji of being heartless? It was unthinkable that anyone could speak like that about him. "He's the nicest person I've ever met. He's been hurt by people like you, but he genuinely cares about others. And he is not yours!" Bokuto stood up to face off against the other. 

Tongue Piercing Guy still looked smug, but Bokuto was taller and more muscular. He'd always been proud of his size, but that was mostly because it made him a super awesome ace (and all the people that flirted with him because of it didn't hurt either). He used his strength in volleyball, but never to purposefully intimidate someone. At that moment it hit Bokuto that he was inviting the other to have a fight with him over Akaashi. 

A fist fight.

/Bokuto couldn't fist fight anyone!/ He couldn't even perform well at volleyball when his teammates were annoyed at each other. Peace and harmony were Bokuto's bread and water.

"Terushima, back off. Leave both of us alone." Of course, Akaashi was just as brave as always. Why had Bokuto even been worried? Akaashi didn't need Bokuto to protect him; he was strong enough on his own. Bokuto was beginning to suspect he'd needed to be strong on his own for a while now, though, and he intended to never let Akaashi go through that again.

Flicking his tongue piercing against his teeth, Terushima sneered. "C'mon, Keiji baby, we both know this idiot isn't the one for you. Someday you'll realize no one loves you like I do, and then you'll come crawling back. But time's ticking, Gorgeous, and eventually I'm not gonna stick around waiting. Just think about that."

"Fuck off." 

Terushima just laughed again. "Yeah, yeah. We'll talk later when this douche isn't hanging around. See you around, Sexy," he said, gesturing at his watch. Then the smug bastard just up and walked away.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," whispered Akaashi when Terushima was out of earshot. His posture was hunched and closed off, and Bokuto felt a sudden desire to wrap this boy up in his arms forever. "That wasn't fair to you."

Bokuto let out an involuntary growl. "Fair to me? What about you? He acted like he owns you!"

Akaashi sighed, scrubbing at his face and dragging a hand through his hair. "I know he's a bit of an asshole, but he's had a tough life. His parents were really unsupportive of his art major, but the big problem is how homophobic the are. They and some of his friends left him after he started dating me. I was his first ever boyfriend, and I was pretty much the only person he had. I'd already grown cynical from past relationships, though, and I said some pretty insensitive things. He felt totally alone, but he'd already convinced himself that sacrificing his family and friends for me meant that we'd last forever. It was really hard on him."

"But that's no excuse to harass you like this," said Bokuto.

"No, it isn't," agreed Akaashi. After a few moments of tense silence, he continued, "He fell in love with me for my appearance. We hadn't known each other long, but we'd sat beside each other in class and talked a bit. One day he called me beautiful and then asked if I'd go out with him. I agreed, thinking he'd seemed funny and nice enough. 

"He'd wanted me to meet his family after only a couple of dates. He'd told me that he'd been afraid to come out to them, but he was sure that it'd go well if I was there. The swiftness of it all felt odd to me, but I wanted to support him, so I agreed. When he introduced me as his boyfriend, though, it all went to shit. I noticed today that he still has the scar from the plate his father threw at his head. We drove away in my car, and I even got new license plates because I was so concerned about their threats." Keiji paused, swallowing. "When he came out to his friends, they weren't violent at least, but they were instantly distant and uncomfortable with him.

"So, Terushima had me alone to turn to. However, it quickly became clear he only loved my appearance. We didn't know each other that well when we started dating, but I think that he liked me face enough that he thought I'd have the right personality for him too. It didn't take long, though, until he kept making comments about me being too quiet, too distant, too practical and calm. He wanted someone who lived with the same reckless abandon he did, and I couldn't be that for him. He'd always call me pretty, though, and he loved to take pictures of us together. He was really into sex, too. It's okay, he never forced me or even pressured me, but it was beginning to seem like he kept bringing up sex whenever I was too... me. It was like he was trying to cover up who I was by having sex. Eventually I came to my senses and told him I wanted to break up. He was devastated, and we had a huge argument. He said some pretty horrible things, but so did I. We left on pretty bad terms, but I know it was worse for him. I left him alone, and though I tried to fix it up later, he immediately acted as you saw him – like it was his right to have me. I think he just really couldn't face the fact that he'd given up friends and family in the belief that we'd be together forever, but we weren't. We couldn't. So while I know it doesn't give him the right to say he owns me, he has had a difficult life. Please don't hate him."

"Keiji," Bokuto breathed, unsure of what else to say. Akaashi had been through all this? 

"I'm sorry, Bokuto-san," said Akaashi, "but I figured I owed you an explanation after all that. I understand if you no longer have an interest in pursuing this relationship."

"No!" Bokuto was stunned. How could Akaashi think that? "Of course I still love you, Akaashi."

"You can't love someone you don't know."

"But I do," Bokuto insisted, grabbing the other boy's hands. "And I am sorry you've dealt with all of this, but I want to be here for you now. And I want you to make sure you feel loved!"

"Terushima was sure he loved me before he knew me too, Bokuto-san," whispered Akaashi, and Bokuto felt his heart shatter. Had he been making Akaashi uncomfortable the whole time by reminding him of bad memories? Bokuto had just wanted him to feel loved...

"I'm so sorr-"

"Don't worry so much," interrupted Akaashi. "Your presence has been a comfort since we first met, and you have been endlessly nice. You seem to truly want to get to know me, and I can feel us becoming closer." Keiji's cheeks were turning a bit pink, and Bokuto was pretty sure his were as well. He barely suppressed a whimper.

"Keiji, Keiji, Keiji," he chanted. It was his manifesto. Then, something struck him and Bokuto felt horrified. "But Keiji! When I first asked you out, I told you how pretty you are! I asked you out before I even knew you just because you were beautiful! I am so sorry Keiji. I am so so sorry."

"Don't be, Bokuto-san. You were just acting upon your attractions, and you weren't hurting anyone. It's not like you pressured me into dating you. You have been nothing but kind and accepting of me, and I genuinely really like you too. I can not use the word love yet, though."

"That's okay!" Bokuto was over the moon. So he really hadn't been harassing Akaashi? And Akaashi was just as interested in him? "You don't have to say love. I can feel that you care about me, and that's all I need."

Akaashi smiled a bit. "I think I can feel it too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who is sticking with this story, with a special shoutout those who have left me comments. I love you all~
> 
> AWESOME NEWS: I am a co-mod for a Kurotsuki Gift Exchange, and I want all of you to participate! Both writers and artists are welcome, and submissions are open until July 31st. You can find the application and more information on kurotsukiexchange.tumblr.com . Sign up! It's gonna be a ton of fun.


	5. Turn Off That Damn Phone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kuroo and Kenma are BACK, ladies and gentlemen and everyone outside or in between. 
> 
> Okay, but summarizing this chapter would just spoil it. Read it? Yeah?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to CheetahLeopard2, the faithful commenter who is the glue that holds this fandom together. You're the bee's knees~
> 
> According to Bear (the writing app I use), this fic takes approximately 17 minutes and 50 seconds to read. Enjoy all 17:50 that I worked on for more than a week T_T

"Bo! Bo. _Bo._ Booooooooo~"

"Kuroo, shut up." Kenma rubbed at his eyes with one hand, the other still gripping his handheld device. Kuroo just needed to stop sometimes. "He isn't listening."

"I know that, but I want him to," replied Kuroo, sprawling dramatically over the couch with an exaggerated moan. "Alas, he has replaced me with another man."

"You know I'm your boyfriend and not Bokuto, right?" Kenma wasn't entirely sure when the 'bro' thing had started, but if he had a DeLorean he'd be driving at 88mph and ride across history to put an end to that fateful date.

Kuroo just smirked at him. "O ho ho, you jealous?"

"O ho ho!" cried Bokuto, head suddenly bobbing up. _Really?_

"Seriously?" said Kuroo. "That's what got your attention? I've been talking to you and calling your name for the past twenty minutes, but you just kept tapping at that phone screen of yours. I even brought out apple pie."

"That's Kenma's favourite food, not mine. And Akaashi is so perfect, I have to take every opportunity to talk with him that I can get." Bokuto's arms were flailing about as he tried to defend himself, and Kenma let his hair droop into his face to block it all out, tapping idly at a puzzle game on his phone.

"You didn't even touch the pie, dude. On most days you'll eat literally anything." This was true, noted Kenma, still half paying attention to the conversation. Just the other day Bokuto had tried to drink expired milk because he "strained the curdled chunks out, so it's fine." Gross.

"I'm sorry, Kuroo! I am a terrible bro for ignoring you to talk to Akaashi." Bokuto tossed his phone to the floor dramatically. Kuroo leaned down to power it off completely. "Hey! What was that for?"

"I've never seen someone so addicted to technology," said Kuroo with a sniff, which was utter bullshit because Kenma knew he spent more time on his phone or playing video games than Kuroo and Bokuto put together. "You need to take a break sometimes, and if your phone is still on you'll keep freaking out every time you get a notification."

"No! Well, okay. Yes," said Bokuto with an overdramatic pout. "If it makes you feel better, I will gladly eat the pie now."

Kuroo snorted. "Kenma ate it ages ago."

"Eh?!" cried Bokuto. "My pie!"

"My pie," corrected Kenma, looking up from the game and pointedly licking his lips, making Kuroo grin. Bokuto made an effort to look offended, but it was plain to see that he was ecstatic each time Kenma expressed that he was warming up to him. It was embarrassing.

"Kuroo," Bokuto whined. "You just sat there and let your boyfriend eat my pie? I'm your bro. Your. Bro." Not again with the bro thing.

Kuroo just shrugged, the small grin on his face showing just how happy he was that Bokuto was paying attention to him again. "Hey, the pie is rightfully his. I baked it for him while you were off galavanting with your boyfriend. And speaking of that, what's going on with you and Akaashi anyway, eh Casanova?"

"Who's Casanova?" Bokuto's brow wrinkled before brightening just a half a second later. "Akaashi is great! I'm great, too! I love him."

"You two have been on what, ten dates or so now?" asked Kuroo, and Bokuto nodded enthusiastically. "So, are you moving in with him soon or what?"

"Eh?!" yelped Bokuto, making Kenma wince. So loud. "Move in with him?"

Kuroo just snickered. "That's what couples do. Get to know each other a bit, and then you rent some shitty apartment together and have some really great sex."

"Kuroo," hissed Kenma, feeling his cheeks warm up.

"I mean," continued Kuroo, completely ignoring his embarrassed boyfriend, "if you did move in with Akaashi, that'd actually be pretty great for us. Before you moved in Kenma and I were at it all the time, and-"

"Kuroo." Kenma interrupted, louder this time. He flushed, not used to having to sound so firm. Kuroo looked over in surprise, his face softening when they made eye contact.

"Sorry, Kitten." Kuroo scooted across the couch, enveloping Kenma in his arms. It didn't help. Maybe a little bit... "I'll make it up to you."

"I swear if you're talking about sex again-" muttered Kenma.

"I was not!" interrupted Kuroo. Kenma narrowed his eyes with skepticism, while Kuroo's eyes turned mischevious. "I was planning to surprise you with a new game, but I suppose I could go your route, my filthy little-"

"Tetsurou." That shut him up.

Meanwhile, Bokuto looked scandalized, though apparently not because of what almost had almost come out of Kuroo's mouth. "I can't move in with Akaashi. We barely know each other!"

"Oh c'mon," said Kuroo, rubbing a hand up and down Kenma's arm. "You guys are crazy about each other, and if it doesn't work out, you're always welcome back here. Besides, it was just a suggestion. It's not like either of you have brought it up yet."

Bokuto was frowning, and Kenma realized he should probably say something. Kuroo gave pretty good advice, but he was prone making terrible decisions himself, making the validity of his suggestions questionable on occasion.

"Bokuto," began Kenma, squirming when both Bokuto and Kuroo turned to look at him."If either you or Akaashi don't want to move in together, that's okay. If you're just holding back from fear, though, don't. I've been friends with Kuroo for a long time, and it took a big change to become... this. If you really love Akaashi, you need to be willing to take chances."

"Kenma," said Bokuto, voice reverent and eyes wide. Kenma frowned, burying his face into Kuroo's shirt. Bokuto really needed to stop being so enthusiastic about everything. "You're so smart! You need to stay by my side forever so that I can always have your advice."

Kuroo laughed, shaking Kenma and making him grunt. His boyfriend eventually settled down, rubbing Kenma's back in apology. Bokuto pouted and said, "What's so funny?"

"The idea of Kenma being following your loud ass around for the rest of your lives to offer wisdom and guidance. It's fucking hilarious," said Kuroo. Bokuto made a loud noise of offence, and Kenma gave Kuroo a good jab in the side for inciting that.

Something about Bokuto's energy seemed forced, though, and it seemed Kuroo had caught on as well. He was just watching Kenma play his game.

"Do you really want me out of this apartment, though?" said Bokuto after a while. "I don't mind leaving when you guys want to have sex."

"Hey hey," said Kuroo, and Kenma could feel the tension flow out of him. Kuroo hated tense silences. "I don't want you gone, I'm just trying to encourage the relationship. And sex. I always encourage sex."

Bokuto frowned, wringing his hands. "But I'm a virgin, and I know Akaashi isn't. I can't move in with him because he'll be disappointed. He's too good for me, and I'll never be able to meet his expectations."

"Don't assume the worst of every situation," began Kuroo, but they were interrupted by a knock at the door.

"I'll get it!" said Bokuto, which was good because there was no way Kenma was going to get to and Kuroo was still trapped underneath him, though that was about to change.

"Stay," said Kuroo, who clearly had read his mind before he'd even started to get up. "If it isn't someone you're comfortable with, then I promise you can leave. I'm sure it's just Yaku and Lev, or maybe Shouyou is coming for another surprise visit. Stay."

Kenma grumbled, but Bokuto was already unlocking the door anyway. It would be too late to make a smooth exit.

"Akaashi?" said Bokuto, and both Kuroo and Kenma looked up in surprise.

Akaashi was shifting from foot to foot, eyes downcast. "We were talking, and then you abruptly left. You didn't answer my call either. You always get worried when I disappear suddenly, so I thought that maybe I should check on you."

A beat of silence.

"I should go," said Akaashi, turning to leave.

"No!" cried Bokuto, grabbing Akaashi's arm and keeping him there. Kenma had met Akaashi a few times when he was picking up Bokuto from their apartment. He liked Akaashi; he was calm, rational, and kind. It was a refreshing change from the other two. "Don't go! It was really nice that you worried, and you should stay for a bit."

Akaashi shook his head, and Kenma noticed that he'd turned a bit red. "No, it's fine. You're clearly okay and there is no reason for me to stay. See you later."

"I didn't mean to stop responding suddenly," said Bokuto, whose voice had taken on a slightly whiny tone. Desperate. That was it. Bokuto was feeling bad that Akaashi was embarrassed about being worried, and now he was frantically trying to fix things. "Kuroo kept trying to talk to me, and then he turned my phone off, and I forgot to turn it back on. I'm sorry."

"Hey, don't drag me into this," said Kuroo, as if he had any right to demand that.

Kenma glared at him, unimpressed. "Bokuto's right, though. This is all on you."

"I should go," repeated Akaashi, trying to tug his hand out of Bokuto's.

"No!" cried Bokuto. Then, finally letting go of Akaashi, he ran both hands through his hair. "I don't want you to go. I'm really happy to see you, and I really want you to stay if you can."

Akaashi was still hesitating, and Kenma sighed internally. "Just stay." It seemed to Kenma that, because of how rarely he did speak around people he didn't know well, whenever he did people figured that he'd decided that this was a Very Important Situation. At those times Kenma's words were seen as very powerful and wise, and honestly it was more embarrassing than anything. Didn't people realize that if he didn't know someone well, the last thing he wanted was their undivided attention? So tiresome.

Thankfully, though, Akaashi nodded. "Alright."

"Yay!" cheered Kuroo, rubbing Kenma's back, presumably in gratitude on Bokuto's behalf. That was the thing about Kuroo; no matter how annoying he could be, you knew his intentions were always in the right place.

"Hey hey hey!" said Bokuto, hugging Akaashi too his chest. "I did it!" Kenma rolled his eyes, but didn't comment aloud. Let Bokuto be happy.

Akaashi let Bokuto drag him over to the livingroom. "We only have the couch and one chair, and Kuroo and Kenma have taken over the couch, so you'll just have to sit with me," said Bokuto. He flopped down on the chair and pulling Akaashi onto his lap, who promptly turned red. He squirmed around a bit, which in turn made Bokuto turn red.

"O ho ho, sitting in his lap already? Maybe-" said Kuroo, but Kenma smacked him before he could continue with whatever perverted comment he was going to make. Getting the message, Kuroo said, "So what have you been up to today, Akaashi?"

"Packing boxes mostly," Akaashi replied, giving up on getting comfortable on Bokuto's lap and pushing himself up to perch on the armrest. Bokuto shot him a sad look, but Akaashi just grabbed his hand and squeezed it. Even the smallest gestures could perk Bokuto up, and Kenma felt a strange sense of approval of Akaashi. Then, he retched a little in his mouth. He wasn't getting... protective of Bokuto, was he? It was something to analyze later...

"Packing boxes? You moving in the middle of the school year or something?" asked Kuroo.

Akaashi shook his head. "No, my roommate decided to move in with some friends instead of sharing an apartment with me. We're still splitting the rent until he can find someone new, though it's still not an ideal situation to be honest."

Kenma froze. Could the timing really be this- this coincidental? Meanwhile Kuroo was wearing a Cheshire grin. "O ho ho, am I hearing that you're in need of a new roommate?"

Bokuto's head snapped up, and he started frantically shaking his head at Kuroo. Akaashi, noticing Bokuto's extremely unsubtle movements, said, "What's going on?"

"What about Bokuto as your new roommate?" said Kuroo, completely ignoring both Bokuto and Akaashi. Kenma sighed, picking at a loose thread on his shirt. This was likely going to be an overly emotional ordeal.

Akaashi blinked a few times, looking between the three of them for an explanation. "Doesn't Bokuto live here with you guys?"

"Yeah, for now. It's a little bit cramped, though, and we were looking at changing our rooming situation anyways," Kuroo lied smoothly, sending Akaashi his supposedly 'persuasive' grin. "It's the perfect opportunity."

Akaashi shrugged and turned to Bokuto, who was very very pale. "Well in that case, do you want to move in with me?"

Bokuto eyes widened and his skin flushed red. _I should have left the room when I had the chance,_ thought Kenma. _Or at least I should've stopped Kuroo from making stupid jokes._ So tiresome.

\---

Akaashi had not been expecting the extreme blush paired with an onslaught of apologies. Was the idea of living with him that flustering?

"I'm sorry Akaashi! I'm so sorry. I'm too young and innocent. You should find another roommate." Bokuto was furiously tugging at his hair, and Akaashi felt a distant pang of worry for Bokuto's poor scalp.

"Young and innocent?" Akaashi repeated, unsure of what Bokuto meant. Where did he think Akaashi lived—a strip club?

Kenma sighed, and Akaashi looked over to him. He didn't know much about Kenma, who was pretty reserved, but he seemed trustworthy. "That's thanks to Kuroo."

"Babe!" protested Kuroo, but the glare from Kenma seemed to shut him up. Kuroo turned towards Akaashi. "I admit I may have played a small role in this problem. Sorry about that."

"I'm so lost."

Kenma sighed again, masking his face with the curtain of hair. "Kuroo made it seem like people move in together for the sole purpose of banging, and now Bokuto is all distraught because he's an insecure virgin."

Akaashi froze. _Had he heard him correctly?_ "What?"

Kuroo chuckled half-heartedly, sheepish and red-faced. "It was just a joke."

"You mean, we don't need to have sex all the time if we move in together?" asked Bokuto.

"But I mean, why would you want that?" muttered Kuroo, earning an elbow in the gut from Kenma.

"Bokuto, of course we can," Akaashi said, rubbing a hand across his face. "We can do whatever we want, and there is never any pressure to have sex."

"Really?"

"Of course. This is our relationship, Bokuto." Akaashi took a deep breath, calming himself. "It's about our own choices, not whatever shitty pieces of advice Kuroo-san gave you."

Kuroo let out a deeply affronted noise, and Akaashi felt a small pang of satisfaction. "Hey! I give wonderful advice, and I think it's pretty reasonable that you guys would be having sex soon if not already. Also, you can't insult me like that and still use honourifics. Bo, how did you get him to drop the -san?"

"Keiji is polite," said Bokuto with a shrug. "He'll keep using honourifics until he's really comfortable around you, so all I do is make sure he knows how much I care about him." Akaashi felt himself flush red. How Bokuto could say things like that so casually, he would never understand.

"Eh?" Kuroo said. "Wow, you guys are already so close emotionally. Hey hey, my man Bokuto knows how to romance!"

"Hey hey hey!" added Bokuto, all fired up from Kuroo's compliment. Akaashi smiled a bit. Bokuto's energy often stemmed from his ego, but he was also the most warm and loving person he'd ever met. Akaashi might always be wary of the word 'love,' but even if he didn't believe it himself, he would always know that Bokuto was being genuine.

Trust. Bokuto was wild and unpredictable, and over the course of their ten dates there had been more emotional breakdowns than Akaashi could count, but Akaashi knew that he could trust him.

A small cough interrupted his thoughts. "Kozume-san," he said in surprise, taking in the small boy beside him whose face was still obscured by two-toned hair. The other two, he noted, were bickering loudly but all in good spirits.

"Bokuto is arrogant, but simultaneously very insecure. Don't be afraid to push him to do things he's scared to do, or he'll never advance in life." It was harsh, but Akaashi couldn't argue.

"Yes, he's quite the show-off, but I think he's afraid to let go of his pride. He becomes fixated on things very easily and loses the ability to focus on anything else, which I believe is because he has a need to master everything. Whether that is to impress himself or someone else, I do not know. I only fear that one day he'll become so fixated on something that no one will be able to get through to him, and I'll lose him to his insecurities forever."

"Ultimately, he cares about other people more than himself. I think that's why people love him so much." Kenma paused. "Just being around Bokuto makes you feel special. A lot of people have taken advantage of that, but you don't seem like that type. And I think Bokuto sees that, too. He cares about you more than his pride. You'll be able to get through to him."

"Thanks, Kozume-san," said Akaashi, blinking. This boy sure had an uncanny ability to analyze each person and situation.

"Don't call me that," said Kenma, and abruptly walked away. It was a bit brusque, but Akaashi wasn't offended. It had been a gesture of kindness to come over in the first place, and if there was one thing he'd learned from Bokuto, it was that there were infinite ways to show people that one cared about you.

"Akaashi!" While Akaashi had been contemplating Kenma's words, it seemed that Bokuto and Kuroo's quarrel had ended and Bokuto was now looking for attention.

Akaashi shook away his thoughts. Kenma was right; Bokuto may have been riding the most high-thrill emotional roller coaster Akaashi had ever seen, but he was also smart and capable. Bokuto was interpersonal, so while he sometimes struggled on his own, all you had to do was give him the right partner or team and he would flourish. Even when he was insecure, he would do anything to hold onto the people he loved. "Yes?" said Akaashi.

"Yes!" replied Bokuto.

Several moments of silence. "Um, what?" said Akaashi, blinking. Had he missed something?

"Oh, wait, I forgot to tell you what I was saying yes to! I'm an idiot!"

"You're not an idiot, Bokuto-san."

"Eh?! Why are you adding the honourific back on? Did I do something wrong?"

"No, I was just hoping that it'd make the statement more impactful so that it'd get through to you. I mean it, you know. You're very smart, Bokuto, and also very kind, which I think is more important."

A pause.

"Keiji!" cried Bokuto, yanking Akaashi to his chest and smothering him with his arms. And hell yes _biceps_. "You're so wonderful and nice and amazing and no one deserves you!" Akaashi hid his blush in Bokuto's shoulder, to which Kuroo responded with rather high-pitched shrieking noises and saying -Kenma Kenma this is so cute holy shit my boy is growing up-

"Sorry, sorry," said Bokuto, releasing Akaashi from his embrace. "What I meant to say was 'yes, I would love to move in with you.'" A pause. "That is, if the offer still stands."

Akaashi blinked. "Of course it still stands. Why wouldn't it? You think I would retract the offer just because Kuroo-san made some stupid comment about sex?"

"Ouch," said Kuroo.

"So... I really can move in with you?"

"If you want to." And, once again, Akaashi found himself wrapped between Bokuto's superb arms, safe and warm and happy.

"Yes! I really want to!"

Akaashi took a deep breath. Was this really happening? Was Bokuto going to live in the room next to him? Was Keiji really going to be able to see Bokuto every day? It was too good to be true...

"I'll let my previous roommate know that I've found a replacement for him. In the mean time, now that I know you're safe, I really do have to go. I still have a paper to finish before my 7am lecture tomorrow," said Akaashi, wishing beyond everything that he could just stay here in Bokuto's arms forever.

"Good luck," replied Bokuto, kissing Keiji's head and _damn_ , if it had been hard to leave before, now it seemed near impossible. Thankfully Bokuto opened his arms to release him, or else he might never have moved.

"Thanks." It comes out quieter than it's supposed to.

And with that, the door is opened and the door is shut. Keiji and Koutarou are on different sides of the same door, each wanting to go back in time and stay in each other's arms, but neither do.

"Yeah, Bo! Get some!" Akaashi can hear Kuroo say on the other side. And with one last small smile, he leaves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you liked, what you think could be improved, and what you want to see next down in the comments! Feedback is my fuel, and I'll love you forever.
> 
> Guess who really just wanted to write in Kenma's perspective? Me. The answer is me. Also, sorry for the dash of Kuroo hate. Alas, he will get his own perspective soon! Adohfohe, gonna be really busy soon, but I'll get in another chapter before the end of July I swear!


	6. Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kuroo feels that he made a bad impression on Akaashi, and they work some stuff out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Sorry I promised an update in July and this is quite late, but my life has been super busy and the writer's block has been intense and my mental health is ??? So overall, life has been pretty overwhelming. Thankfully I'm doing better now though, and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Kuroo finished heaving one of Bokuto's boxes into his room. "Phew," he said, wiping the back of his hand across his forehead. "How much stuff does Bo have?"

Frowning at him from atop Bokuto's new mattress, Kenma said, "You carried a grand total of one box. You easily have three times the stuff he has."

"Fuck off," Kuroo replied without malice, flopping himself onto the bed beside Kenma after kissing him on the cheek. "That was the heaviest box in this plane of reality. Even I, a hella ripped guy, can only work so many wonders. What about Parallel Universe Kuroo, eh? Go ask him to lug boxes."

"I hope Parallel Universe Kenma chose a less shitty guy to date," muttered Kenma, and a gasp came from the doorway. They both looked up to see the familiar shock of orange hair.

"So cool, Kenma!" commented Shouyou, who had come to help unpack boxes after texting Kenma that he was bored. He set down another bin of Bokuto's things with a wistful look on his face. "I wish I could be that clever with insulting Tobio."

Kuroo snorted, marvelling yet again at the unlikely friendship between his boyfriend and the shrimp. "All he calls you is a dumbass, it's not like you have to be that witty to win an argument," Kuroo pointed out.

"Still," said Shouyou with a pout. "I need Kenma to live with me and provide me with good insults. Kenma, will you stay with me forever?" Kuroo laughed, thinking about how Bokuto had said much the same thing the previous week. It seemed everybody wanted his boyfriend now, and while Kuroo was secure with his relationship with the pudding-haired boy, he still couldn't help the small surge or possessiveness.

"O ho ho?" said Kuroo, wearing his signature smirk. "No need for insults now; your lust for my boyfriend will hurt Tobio-chan more than any words ever could."

"Eh?" said Shouyou, blabbering apologies, but Kuroo ignored him in favour of catching Kenma's look of disdain. While Kenma usually preferred to conceal his emotions, he often seemed to be able to create a unique and wholly different look of disgust for each instance. Kuroo found the whole thing incredibly amusing.

Kenma opened his mouth, presumably to insult him, but Kuroo's ego was spared as Bokuto and Akaashi walked into the room. Bo couldn't stop smiling, and every time he looked at Akaashi his eyes lit up as if he were glancing at heaven itself. Akaashi was more discreet, but Kuroo couldn't help but notice the way he hid his small smiles by looking down. They were just too damn perfect for each other.

"Kuroo!" said Bo, setting down a box. "Thanks for helping me bring some stuff up! I'm super pumped to be moving in here, but I'm gonna miss seeing you every day."

Kuroo could feel Kenma's eyes on him as he replied, "I'll miss you too, but I'm sure you're gonna love it here." In his peripheral vision, Kenma frowned.

"Hey, Shouyou," Kenma said. "Kageyama lives in this apartment building too, right? So you're familiar with the area?"

"Yup!" Hinata chirped. "Two floors down, room 56."

"Right. Why don't you show Bokuto around the neighbourhood? I'll come, too. I'm sure Kuroo and Akaashi can take care of anything that needs unpacking?" Kuroo's eyes widened as he realized what Kenma was up to.

"Isn't that a little rude?" said Shouyou, but Bokuto was already pumping his fist in the air.

"Hey hey hey!" he crowed. "I get to spend some more time with Kenma after moving out! Don't worry, I'll miss you too, Kenma."

"Yes, right," muttered Kenma, visibly annoyed. _Serves you right,_ thought Kuroo, but he wasn't sure how to get out of this situation without being obvious. "Let's go."

And just like that...

It was just Akaashi and Kuroo, alone in the apartment.

"That was a bit odd," commented Akaashi. "I have to confess, I don't entirely know what needs to be unpacked, but I'm pretty sure that Kenma knew that, too."

"Yeah. Weird." _My boyfriend is a little shit._  "Well, sorry you got stuck with me here. I know you kind of hate me, and I don't blame you."

"I don't dislike you, Kuroo-san," said Akaashi with a sigh. "It's just that I think you're a bit of an idiot. Your mean well, I'm sure. You and Koutarou are very close."

"Koutarou?"

"When we were alone... he asked me to call him Koutarou if we were going to live together. Saying his given name to you is good practice because I don't have to say it to his face." Akaashi was blushing deeply, and Kuroo laughed. "I was raised in a very formal environment. Old habits are hard to break."

"True," Kuroo replied, unsure of how to proceed. While Akaashi didn't seem to be holding a grudge against him, there was still a tension between them. And, well, if Akaashi wasn't the cause of the tension, that probably meant it was his own fault. Fuck. "Want me to call you Keiji, then?" At some point, Kuroo would stop hiding behind his shitty sense of humour. This was not that moment.

"No, Bo- Koutarou does that enough. I mean, I guess you can if you want."

"It'd be kind of weird considering you still call me Kuroo-san." Kuroo paused, then laughed. "When we were kids, I tried used Kenma's family name once, and he made it clear that our friendship was over if I ever did that again. I called him Kozume once during sex, but it didn't go so well."

"I can imagine," Akaashi said, then coughed. "You sure talk about sex a lot."

"Yeah," Kuroo sighed, rubbing a hand across his face. "Kenma told me that the more uncomfortable I get, the more I talk about sex. Sorry."

"You're uncomfortable?"

"Maybe uncomfortable isn't the right word for this situation," Kuroo said, scratching the back of his neck. "It's more like I'm unsure what to do."

"Do about what?" Akaashi asked. His voice was as calm as ever, and Kuroo got the strange sensation like he was talking to a therapist. His voice was soothing and just made him want to spill all of his secrets to him.

"I don't know," Kuroo murmured, though in actuality he just didn't want to reveal the truth. Giving in, he admitted, "I guess I just wish I hadn't made such a bad impression on my best friend's boyfriend. Also, I might just be a little bit sad that Bokuto is moving out."

"Kuroo, don't worry about it. We're fine," Akaashi responded. "And I understand that you're sad about Koutarou, but he made it sound like you were the one who encouraged him to. Why would you suggest moving out if you didn't want him to?"

"Well, it's kind of childish to be honest," said Kuroo, wishing Akaashi hadn't asked. "You see, Kenma can always read me too well, and sometimes I purposefully try to throw him off. I'm pretty sure he still sees it coming though, that prick."

Akaashi raised one eyebrow. "I'm not an idiot, Kuroo-san. You love Koutarou too much to say goodbye just to throw Kenma-san off."

"Ya know, he'd be really pissed if he knew you were adding honourifics back onto his name," Kuroo said, but sighed when Akaashi just blinked at him. "You're scarily observant too, aren't you? Ah hell, fine. I'm scared to lose Bo; in high school we were great pranksters, and we had so much fun together. We were wild dorky losers, and I loved every minute of it. Once I started dating Kenma, I lost touch with him a bit. Bo gradually became really sad and lonely, but I didn't even notice; Kenma had to point it out to me. I've been trying to rekindle our old dynamic, but then he met you, and things are just changing. I'm dedicated to Kenma and he's dedicated to you, and we're both so... normal now. One day it struck me as odd how different we are from when we were in high school, and suddenly I just wanted to travel time and relive those days. It wasn't bad that he was changing because of you—he's maturing a bit I think. It's just that... I had this strong urge to hold onto him, and that totally isn't fair considering how left out I once made him feel and that he deserves to be in a happy relationship. So, I convinced myself that pushing him closer to you would be what's best for him."

"And what about for you?" Akaashi asked. Kuroo had felt a bit ashamed at his own words, but there was no judgment in the other's gaze. "What's best for you?"

Kuroo blinked. "Oh, um. Well, I want what's best for Bokuto. Life changes, and I guess I'm just sentimental for the old days. Change can be a good thing, and I'm happy that he has you now."

"No one has to be as observant as Kenma to read you, Kuroo-san. You're one of the easiest to read people I've ever met, and that's saying a lot considering Koutarou practically narrates all of his emotions," Akaashi said, and Kuroo would have been offended if not for his ever calm and patient tone. "You think you're selfish, but you're not.  
You are very close to Koutarou, and you are wary of that falling apart. There is nothing wrong with that."

"I-" Kuroo began, but Akaashi held up a palm.

"Please give me another minute to speak. Koutarou is not leaving you, and I will never try to take him from you. Yes you are both changing, but I think that perhaps this is what you need. It seems to me that you've been trying to balance Koutarou and Kenma, and I think maybe there's just been too much trying. Perhaps once you and him both have your own lives once again, your time together will be time for, what did you say, um, wild dorkiness?" Akaashi coughed at that, and Kuroo suppressed a snicker. "What I'm trying to say is, pushing Koutarou away is not the answer. The two of you are very close, and your friendship clearly means a lot to both of you. However, I think that if you were not satisfied before, only change can yield different results."

Kuroo paused for a moment, considering. "Thank you, Akaashi. I feel a bit better now."

"Anytime, Kuroo-san," Akaashi said, giving him a small smile. "We are friends now too, I think, and you can always feel free to come to me if you need anything."

"Likewise," Kuroo said with a nod, feeling uncharacteristically solemn. Just then the door to the apartment burst open. Bokuto, Hinata, and Kenma all filed into the room.

"Akaashi!" yelled Hinata immediately. "Your boyfriend is amazing!"

"Yeah, I am," Bokuto said, puffing with pride as he leaned against the doorway.

"Oh?" Akaashi said, smiling softly at Bo. Kuroo felt a sudden surge of pride for his best friend, and he was happy that he'd found someone so thoughtful. "Do tell."

"We went to the best pizza place around here, and he ate an entire large all by himself!" Hinata said, sighing in admiration. "Ah, so cool."

Kuroo watched Akaashi smile fondly. "You better not get sick on your first day of living here, Bokuto."

"Akaashi!" Bokuto cried, the pride slipping off his face in exchange for a pout. His eyes were still sparkling though, and Kuroo decided that Akaashi was definitely right; while his intentions may have been wrong, this change could definitely be good.

Kenma caught his eye from across the room, and Kuroo gave a small nod. Kenma smiled at him, and Kuroo felt the tension flow out of him as he slumped against the wall.

"I hope everything goes well, Bo," Kuroo mumbled under his breath. "And I think it will."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks for reading!
> 
> I'm planning to have a small transition-y chapter up by the end of August, and then there will probably be three more chapters over the course of September to October. Thanks for sticking with me up to this point, and I hope you stay for the rest~


	7. Spill the Beans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, this update is super mega late again. Who's surprised? (Not me.) However, this time it's because I was writing a big chunk of the next couple chapters so that I could get a handle on where I want this to go and how I'm going to wrap this up. So... the next chapter will come before the end of September, and I'm pretty excited about it... So, yeah! Enjoy~
> 
> (TW for minor burns)

No matter what he tried to distract himself with, Akaashi just couldn't get Bokuto off of his mind.

Before they'd moved in together, Akaashi had thought about Bokuto a lot too, but back then it was always wondering what he was up to and debating whether he should initiate contact or not. Now, however, Bokuto was everywhere.

It wasn't bad, or even necessarily good. It was just strange and abnormal, and Akaashi wasn't sure what to do. Even now as he walked to get a coffee, he was wondering whether or not he should get one for Bokuto as well, and would Bokuto be upset if he woke up and Akaashi was gone?

He'd been making his own coffee since Bokuto moved in, but he liked the routine of going out for it every morning. Even though he wasn't a morning person, the walk always soothed him in a way that blearily stumbling into the shower before forcing himself to be productive never had. He kept considering all of his choices, though, wondering what would change now that Bokuto was in his life. And what changes was Bokuto making to accommodate him?

Sharing his space with Bokuto was weird. The first few days had been awkward, unused to seeing each other around so often while trying to navigate one another's personal space. It had gotten better after that, but sometimes Akaashi still worried that he was crossing boundaries. Bokuto still seemed worried even about kissing him, though he always insisted that he really did want to.

He ducked into Justify the Beans, shaving away his nervous thoughts. The hazy aroma of coffee beans settled his nerves, and he barely resisted the urge to close his eyes as he inhaled. Nothing comforted him like the smell of coffee, aside from maybe the smell of Bokuto, and no other shop smelled quite as good as this one.

The line was rather short, and it didn't lake long for him to get through it. He decided against getting a coffee for Bokuto, not sure he wanted to know what would happen if he gave his energetic boyfriend caffeine so early in the morning. He was handed his cup, and he felt himself perk up a bit. There was nothing like a good cup of coffee to make any day instantly better.

Akaashi strolled out of the shop, stumbling blearily onto the patio as the sun flashed in his eye, temporarily blinding him. He debated sitting out here for a while since there was only one other person on the patio, and Akaashi was perfectly content to ignore him until the man looked up and caught his eye and-

_Fuck._

Recognition lighting a fight or flight reaction in his veins, Akaashi fumbled backwards. His ankle hooked onto a chair, and he sprawled to the ground as hot coffee spilled all over his chest. The wave of heat sent his fists scrabbling at the pavement for purchase, though they found nothing but shards of stone.

"Keiji!" Hands were under his armpits, hauling him up off the ground. His shirt was peeled off of him, and Akaashi gasped with relief as the hot and wet sensation left. The sharp burn was still there, but more manageable now. He opened his eyes, trying to rub at his sore chest, but calloused hands held him back. "Shit, Keiji. I don't know anything about first aid. Ah, I got an ice coffee. Wait a sec-" The hands left, and Akaashi barely resisted the urge to touch the burns.

"Yuuji," he gasped, not quite believing what was happening. Terushima was back by his side in an instant, pressing the side of his iced coffee cup against the burn. Akaashi hissed, against the icy relief. "Teru," he huffed," -shima."

"Yeah?" the other boy replied. A couple strolled out from the coffee shop, stopping to give the two boys a strange look. Akaashi supposed the fact that he was shirtless would seem odd to a passerby, but he couldn't bring himself to care. "Oh, fuck," Terushima said when Akaashi hesitated to respond. "Do I need to take you to the hospital? Come on, we should go."

"I'm fine," Akaashi said as he pushed the cold cup away, though he regretted it a second later when the burning sensation rushed back into his chest. Terushima pressed the iced coffee back the second Akaashi put his arms back down, and he would've sagged in relief had his pride not stopped him. "I don't need to go to the hospital."

Terushima flicked his tongue piercing across his teeth, a gesture which Akaashi wished he didn't know to interpret as frustration. "I would push harder, but I know you too well. You wouldn't go to the hospital even if you were on the brink of death."

Akaashi huffed, the pain in his chest finally subsiding enough for him to be able to push the cup away again. It stung, but he definitely didn't need to go to the hospital. If he could just get back to the apartment to get some aloe vera... "Thank you," Akaashi murmured, hoping he sounded more composed than he felt.

"No, I'm the one at fault for startling you like that," Terushima said, and Akaashi looked up, surprised. The last time he'd seen him, Terushima would never have said something like that. At Akaashi's startled look, Terushima flushed and looked down. "I know I don't deserve it, but will you stay here for a moment? Things have changed since I last saw you."

"I really have to get the back to the apartment," Akaashi said, trying to sound nonchalant. He'd heard enough of what Terushima had to say, and he wasn't sure how much more contact he could handle having with his ex. He sighed, moving to put his damp shirt back on. It was stained brown and crinkled, but he supposed it'd be better than strolling around the city shirtless.

"Hey, hey," Terushima said, gently pulling the shirt out of his hand. Pulling down the zipper of his hoodie, he shrugged it off and handed it to Akaashi. "I know you well enough to know that you wouldn't be caught dead in a cold, gross, coffee-stained shirt. Take this."

Akaashi paused, then accepted. "Thank you," Akaashi said, swallowing the _Yuuji_  that rose automatically to his lips in favour of, "Terushima-san." Terushima physically winced at the honourific, but Akaashi felt better, like he'd created a protective barrier between him and the other boy.

"Keiji, look," Terushima said. "Please let me talk to you. I- I'm so sorry about how I treated you. A lot has changed in this past month, and I need to apologize to you. I promise I won't try to convince you to take me back, but please stay and listen. I'll buy you another coffee."

Akaashi hesitated. He wasn't sure what Terushima was going to tell him, and while on one hand it might bring him closure over his possessive ex, it could also bring back bad memories he didn't want to relive. Each moment spent with Terushima ached, but not because he wanted him back. "Milk, not cream. And no sugar," he finally said. He loathed heaving behind loose ends anyway.

"Oh, I remember your order," Terushima laughed, delight lighting up his face. Akaashi felt a pang, both at the reminder of his intimacy wits the other boy and at the memory of how expressive he'd always been of his joy. Terushima ducked back into the store, and Akaashi breached in and out slowly. Terushima had seemed so earnest, and maybe some small part of Akaashi was even curious about the change from the bitter ex he had run into a few months ago and the considerate one he'd run into today.

The door swung open, and Terushima exited holding two cups. "One medium coffee, milk no sugar," he recited with a wink. His face flashed into an apology. "Sorry, Keiji. I'm just used to winking at you. I didn't mean to, um, flirt?"

"Please, call me Akaashi," he responded, ignoring the wink altogether. "Why am I still here?"

Terushima sighed, flicking his tongue piercing again. "A few weeks after the last time I saw you with your, um, new boyfriend, my dad called. And, and he said," Terushima paused, shaking his head and laughing darkly, "he told me that he'd watched a movie where a family disowns their son, but reunite with him twenty years later and are sad that they missed out on him getting married, having kids, getting his dream job, etc. And- and he said that they want to see me again. They're still weren't sure how they felt about me being gay, but they didn't want me out of their lives completely."

Akaashi frowned, turning the words around in his head. "Terushima," he said slowly, unsure of how to navigate, "I'm worried that this is more for their sakes than yours. I mean, if they still don't support your sexuality, is it really safe to see them again? It sounds to me like they're just trying to protect themselves from having regrets later on without actually taking the step to accepting and supporting you."

Terushima nodded, eyes downcast. "Yeah, that's what I thought at first, too. It didn't matter to me all that much, though. I was elated to see my family again, and when I got home, I actually fucking cried. My parents cried too, and it wasn't until evening that the topic of me being gay even came up. And you know what they said? They said that if I was truly happy, they'd find a way to accommodate it. And then it struck me; I had been truly happy when I was with you, but nothing made me happy about holding on. You were my lifeline, the one person who could look at me without being disgusted, but I had changed that. I had driven you away."

"You never drove me away," Akaashi said, capturing the other man's eyes with his own. "We were just never mean to be. You're wild and spontaneous and free, and it exhausted me. My current boyfriend is also rather wild, I'll admit, but at the end of the day we both need to be rooted to one place. You need the freedom to set your own path and tie down wherever, whenever, and that's not something I could ever do with you. Neither of us drove each other away, we were just never in the same place to begin with."

"Thank you, Kei- Akaashi. You are very generous, but this was all my fault. We could've still been friends, but I was far too possessive." Terushima sighed, rubbing a hand across his face. "In my head, I'd sacrificed everything for you, so I was entitled to you. That's just so fucked up."

"You were completely alone," Akaashi said bluntly, and Terushima flinched. "It wasn't okay, Terushima-san. I know it wasn't okay. However, I understand that the root of the problem was your situation, not you, and I forgive you for what you did do. I'm glad you're recovering and that your relationship with your family is improving."

"I don't deserve forgiveness." Terushima swallowed, dragging a hand through his hair. "I appreciate your generosity, but I don't deserve this."

"Maybe not," Akaashi said with a shrug. "But I dislike holding grudges; they're messy and inconvenient." Terushima cracked a smile at that.

"Thank you, Akaashi. Thank you for your kind words, and thank you for hearing me out." Akaashi just grumbled in reply. Terushima knew how much he loathed being thanked like this, that bastard. Terushima had a gentle smile on his face though, so he let it go. "Goodbye for now, and maybe someday our paths will cross again."

"Yes, maybe," Akaashi agreed. He didn't feel comfortable around Terushima, and he couldn't be sure he ever would, but there was always hope for reconciliation. "Good luck, and may your family give you the love and respect you deserved in the first place."

He moved to take off the hoodie, but Terushima stopped him. "No, keep it. Or burn it, or whatever you like. It's just... I can't let you go home in a soggy t-shirt. I'd never forgive myself if we parted like that."

"Okay." Akaashi nodded, pushing himself up. It felt odd, the feeling that he didn't have to be worried about Terushima anymore, that he might not ever even seen him again. It was nice to have closure, though. "I hope everything goes well with you."

"You too," Terushima said, flashing a grin. Akaashi smiled back; it was the first time he'd seen such a genuinely joyful smile from him in a long while. "I wish you all the luck with your new boyfriend. I can tell you really love him."

Akaashi stiffened. _Love._  "Keiji? Ah fuck, Akaashi? Are you okay? What's wrong?" _If Yuuji can still believe in love after all this, why the fuck can't you, Keiji?_  "Why aren't you responding. Did I say something wrong?"

Blinking, Akaashi snapped out of his stupor. "Not at all, Terushima-san," he said, hoping he didn't sound too forced. Judging by Terushima's frown he wasn't doing so well, but he couldn't bring himself to care. "Thank you for your well wishes, and have a good day. Goodbye."

"Akaashi?" _How much stronger do your feelings for Bokuto have to be before you can call it love?_  "Akaashi, are you alright?"

_Don't look back._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * I do not mean to excuse any of Terushima's possessive and abusive actions I wrote about in this fic. Please let me know if you think there is a better way for me to handle these issues. I do not condone abusive behaviour, and I hope I expressed myself well. *
> 
> So this was definitely more of a plot-moving chapter than the cute fluffy ones that I prefer both to read and write, but I hope you all enjoyed it nonetheless. I'm pretty excited for what's coming in the next chapters, so bear with me through these sad, angsty times.


	8. If it's something weird and it don't look good, who ya gonna call? (Your best friend!)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summaries are just spoilers with a prettier name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really need to stop setting due dates for myself.

A cloudy, thick haze hung over Bokuto as a distant shrill beeping pierced through his sleep. "Geh," he mumbled, flinging out an arm to the side, causing what sounded like dozens of items to fall to the ground, but not the alarm to stop. He groaned, rubbing his eyes and rolling over.

Finally managing to smack his alarm off, he pushed himself out of bed, immediately shivering. He always slept under countless blankets, but still managed to wake up cold. He couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to wake up next to Akaashi, cozied up against his warm body, but he brushed the thought aside. It hadn't been long since he'd moved in, after all, and the last thing he wanted to do was rush things.

Tugging a hoodie over his head, he padded out of the room in search of his boyfriend. Though he didn't wake up in the other man's embrace, Akaashi had so far always been willing to wrap his arms around him until he warmed up. Bokuto never would have guessed that Akaashi would be so affectionate, but the usually stoic man had told him that he looked too cute to resist in the morning— _Akaashi! You're going to make me blush!_ —and that Bokuto was too sleepy in the morning to make him shy about anything. It was true, Bokuto supposed, that it'd be pretty hard for him to make Akaashi feel vulnerable or embarrassed when he was blundering around and walking into things.

When he got to the kitchen, though, Akaashi wasn't there. Until now, each morning Bokuto had opened his door to find Akaashi sitting on a stool and leaning against the counter as he sipped his coffee, scrolling through news on his tablet. He'd pause, look up, and Bokuto would self-consciously straighten out his boxers as he felt his boyfriend's sharp gaze on him. First, Akaashi's nose would crinkle a bit, trying to hold back, but he'd always give up and smile. This, of course, made Bokuto smile, and he'd blearily stumble over to the kitchen and-

 _Don't get carried away!_  Frowning, Bokuto checked on Akaashi's room. The door was wide open, revealing the rather plain room, the bed made neatly and his desk perfectly organized.

But

No

Akaashi.

He checked the bathroom too, then all around the apartment, but Akaashi was nowhere.

A small whimper came out of his throat, and Bokuto cursed his inability to function in the mornings. He started to move for his phone, but then paused. Most likely, Akaashi was just out doing some sort of errand and he'd be annoyed if he got a call from his clingy boyfriend. Bokuto should just leave him be; he'd come back, right?

Right?

_Damn it, where was Akaashi?_

He stumbled back to his bedroom, only ramming into one wall, which he was quite proud of thank you very much. Opening up his laptop, he Skype-called Kuroo. His best friend always gave the best relationship advice! Well, not always, but he'd encouraged him to pursue Akaashi, so it was at least worth a try!

On the first try, however, Kuroo didn't pick up. Bokuto groaned, dragging his fingers through his hair. If Kuroo wasn't answering, there was no way Kenma would, and who else did Bokuto trust enough to turn to for advice?

Seeing no other option, he hit the call button again. This time, Kuroo appeared on the screen, laying in his bed and looking sleepy and a little disgruntled. "Yes?" he said, voice thick with sleep.

"Kuroo! Thank volleyball you woke up! I need your advice!" Bokuto cried.

"Eh?" Kuroo replied, rubbing at his eyes. "Now? At this very hour? Why are you even awake already, you hate mornings."

"It's after ten..." Bokuto replied with a shrug. He squirmed in his seat a little; he just wanted to get to the point already, but Kuroo always prolonged everything more than necessary.

"Yeah well, Kenma was in the mood last night, like, _really_  in the mood, so I didn't exactly get a whole lot of rest," Kuroo said, his tone a mixture of complaint and appreciation. The camera bounced and jostled as Kuroo rolled over, pulling down the covers a bit. "Say hi, Kenma!" Kuroo's boyfriend let out an indignant shriek, ripping the blanket back over his head.

"Hi, Kenma!" Bokuto said, waving anyway. Maybe if he was extra friendly and nice and good, Kuroo would give extra friendly and nice and good advice. "So, about my problem..."

"Is it really so urgent that you needed to wake me up for this?"

"Yes!" Bokuto cried. Kuroo raised a brow, and a few muffled curses could be heard from that end as the blankets shifted around. "Akaashi...," _pause for dramatics_ "is gone."

"Wait, you mean he's missing?" Kuroo jolted forward in bed, eyebrows furrowing. "When was the last time you saw him? Or heard from him?"

"When I woke up this morning, he was gone!" Bokuto wailed, flinging himself back in distress. "He's always drinking coffee at the counter in the morning, but today he wasn't!"

"Wait... have you tried contacting him?" Bokuto sat forward again.

"No," he pouted. "I don't want to seem clingy."

A shaped launched upward from underneath Kuroo's blankets, and Bokuto let out a high-pitched yelp. "You dared to disturb my slumber?" the angry blob that was Kenma shrieked. "And you didn't even text him?" Bokuto trembled; never before had he seen such displays of emotion from the shy, stoic man.

"Dude," Kuroo muttered, staring somewhere off camera as Kenma stormed out of the room, muttering curses under his breath. "Just. Text. Him."

"But-" he cut off as Kuroo's gaze cut to him, unusually intense.

"So? Be clingy. If he's bothered that you care about him, he isn't the one," Kuroo muttered, dragging a hand through his hair. "Now if you excuse me, I have a terrifying ball of unmatched fury to deal with, so do me a favour and learn how to communicate with your partner."

A small involuntary whimper came from Bokuto's throat, and Kuroo's gaze softened. "Look, Kou. I know you're scared, and you know that I am here for you whenever you need me. But things like this? I can't solve this for you. So if you're thinking maybe you're not ready for a relationship right now, then you're of course welcome back here. But if you want this, then relationships take communication, and I can't be that for you. Text him."

Bokuto nodded, steeling himself for texting Akaashi, when he heard the distant sound of the door opening. He sat up, eyes widening. "I think he's back."

"Good." Kuroo sent him an exhausted smile. "Talk to him. And address the problem."

"Thanks." Bokuto took a deep breath as he heard footsteps getting closer. "For everything."

"Of course," Kuroo said simply, before pressing the end call button. Bokuto let out a deep breath. Kuroo was right, he couldn't hide from everything if he wanted this to work.

Pushing himself up from the bed, he launched himself out of the room, skidding to a halt when he almost ran into his boyfriend. "Akaashi! You're back!"

He threw his arms around the smaller boy, inhaling the plain, clean scent he always had, the scent that smelled like home long before they'd moved in together. "I missed you," he breathed, nuzzling the skin on Akaashi's neck where it met the collar of his.... yellow hoodie? "What? I didn't know you owned anything this bright."

Akaashi pulled out of his embrace, brow creased. "I- I don't," he said, and Bokuto frowned at the thick emotion in his voice.

"'kaashi?" His hand reached out to catch the tears just before they fell from his boyfriend's face. "'Kaashi, what's wrong?"

A sob racked through the smaller boy's body, and Bokuto crushed him against his chest, mind going at a mile a minute as he tried to figure out what was wrong. "I- I ran into Terushima again today."

Bokuto stiffened, a million thoughts racing through his head at once. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you? Did he force himself on you?" Bokuto wasn't one to get angry quickly, but if that jerk dared to hurt Akaashi again...

"No, no, he was fine," Akaashi mumbled, and then he was laughing through his tears, giggles bubbling up as he scrubbed the wetness off his face. "Sorry, this isn't funny. I don't know why I'm laughing."

"It's alright," Bokuto said, tugging him over to the couch. "Kuroo does the same thing." Akaashi let out a shuddering sigh, slumping against his chest. "But you're sure Terushima didn't hurt you?"

"Yes," Akaashi said, sighing again. "He's- he apologized. For everything. And he explained and told me everything, and I... don't think I need to worry about him anymore. I think... we're good."

Bokuto frowned. "But the last time we saw him- I don't trust-"

Akaashi squirmed around in his arms, staring him in the eyes, and Bokuto's voice trailed off. "It's hard for me to fully believe it too, Koutarou. I have a lot of bad memories, and he's one of the worst of them. But it's hard to be afraid all the time, and if I can let go of even a small part of it, I want to. Maybe he'll be a problem again later, maybe not. But for now, for today, I'm grateful to have this one bit of relief, and I'm going to try to let go as much of him as possible. I understand your concern, but please support me."

Letting out a breath, Bokuto kissed him on the nose. "Of course. You're perfect, Keiji, and you deserve all the happiness in the world."

Akaashi smiled at him softly, then kissed him on his nose back, and Bokuto felt his heart just positively melt. Then he sat up, tossing a crumpled piece of fabric to the floor that Bokuto hadn't noticed and peeling off the yellow hoodie. He opened his mouth to ask a question, but Akaashi interrupted him with the answer. "I accidentally spilled coffee on my shirt, and Terushima gave me his hoodie for the trip home. I'll probably donate it or something."

Bokuto nodded, feeling like maybe Akaashi would tell him more one day, but that he'd said as much as he was comfortable with for today. He slumped back down, and Bokuto tried not to stare too much at how beautiful Akaashi was. They lay in comfortable silence for a few minutes, Bokuto rubbing the other's bare back as his breathing slowly evened out.

Suddenly, Akaashi pushed himself up from the couch, scooped up his clothes, then headed for his bedroom. "Sorry. I wanted to chill with you on the couch, but I really can't let my dirty laundry lay all over the floor in good conscious." Bokuto cracked a smile, glad that Akaashi was feeling good enough to joke lightly.

He followed his boyfriend into his room, hovering by the doorway and watching Akaashi toss his things into the laundry basket. His boyfriend looked up, eyes flitting to meet his, shooting him a small smile. "I'm sorry I wasn't here when you woke up," he said softly, staring at Bokuto through his eyelashes. "I know how much you hate mornings."

"Yeah, but it's alright. I know how much you love coffee," Bokuto teased back, inwardly yelling with satisfaction when he got a tiny laugh out of his boyfriend. "I was a little worried though."

Akaashi frowned. "Worried? I'm sorry. I didn't get any messages, though. Maybe my phone ran out of battery."

"Oh, um, I never actually texted you," Bokuto admitted, not meeting the other's gaze. It sounded idiotic now, and he wished he hadn't brought it up.

"Why not?" Akaashi said, furrowing his brow. "Did something happen to your phone?"

"I, um," Bokuto exhaled, reflexively spiking up his hair. Staring at the ground, he admitted, "I was worried you'd think I was clingy or something."

A beat of silence.

"Koutarou." And then long arms were wrapping around him, pulling him close, and Bokuto's eyes flitted upward in surprise. "You never have to worry about being clingy. I'm honoured how much you care, and you can always feel free to message me. I won't be annoyed."

"Keiji," Bokuto murmured, clutching him even tighter to his chest. Tuggin him over to the neatly made bed, he swung them both down onto it, nuzzling the top of the smaller boy's head. "My 'Kaashi is perfection."

And then Akaashi was smiling at him, and Bokuto couldn't tear his eyes away from those lips until he captured them with his mouth instead, feeling the curve of the other's grin against his own mouth. And damn, maybe mornings weren't so bad after all.

-

Bokuto's lips slid over Akaahsi's, warm and soft, and he was holding him like fragile glass. His large hands gently gripped his waist, lips hesitant, almost shy.

"I'm not so breakable," Akaashi whispered onto his boyfriend's lips, trying not to gasp for breath. He dug his own hands into his boyfriend's hips to emphasize his point, proud of the resultant gasp.

Bokuto's eyes were wide, and his pupils were so big and black he looked more like an owl than ever. "You're the toughest person I know, Keiji. I just don't want to give you a reason to need to be."

Akaashi felt a pang in his chest, a sudden feeling of _rightness_  that he'd never felt in any of his previous relationships. He pushed closer to Bokuto until their bodies were flush, their heaving chests colliding with their irregular gasps. His mouth was warm and hot and inviting, and Akaashi tentatively slid his tongue inside.

"A- kaashi," Bokuto breathed, and a second later his hands were on his arms, gently pushing him back. Akaashi tried to keep himself from panicking, but he couldn't help being ambushed by a thousand worries all at once. Had he been pushing Bokuto to go farther than he was comfortable? Had he forced himself on him? Was Bokuto realizing that Akaashi was too cold and distant to ever be fulfilling in a relationship?

Bokuto must have seen the panic in his eyes, for a second later he was saying, "Shh, shh, it's okay. Nothing is wrong. You're okay." He wrapped his thick arms around his torso, and Akaashi felt his muscles relax within Bo's firm grip. It seemed wrong to feel more at ease when he was trapped instead of when he had an escape route, but he didn't want to escape Bokuto. He wanted to stay for Bokuto, for himself, for Kuroo and Kenma and Shouyou and all of the memories he had with these new people. The need for escape that he used to have was gone, and that comforted him more than anything. "Keiji," Bokuto said, and he let himself fall limp in his warm and comforting embrace.

"I am sorry I forced myself on you. Please forgive me." Akaashi whispered across the silence.

"What? No!" Bokuto said, and the loudness of his voice didn't ruin the mood like it should have. "I'm just... nervous. Not about you! I love you. I'm nervous about me."

"About you?" Akaashi repeated, sitting up enough to watch the expressions shifting across his boyfriend's face.

"You're so experienced," Bokuto said, one hand going to re-spike his hair. Akaashi didn't bother to fight off his smile, instead lifting up his hands to drag through Bokuto's hair with him. He tangled their fingers together, gently rubbing the stray hairs off of his forehead with his thumb. Bokuto's breath caught. "And I- I'm not. I've never even dated anyone for this long, you know."

Akaashi leaned back, pulling his hands down to smooth circles against Bokuto's wrists. "You know there is never any pressure to do anything, right? If you don't want to have sex, okay. If you don't want to kiss or hug or touch at all, that's okay too. It's all about what your comfort levels are."

"But I do want to!" Bokuto said, biting his lip in a telltale gesture that he was frustrated that he wasn't able to put his emotions into words. "It's just that, um, I don't want to mess things up. You have all this experience, and I don't know what to do."

Akaashi shrugged in his arms. "So? No one's born knowing what to do, and I learned from someone, too. And besides, if anything I'm the undesirable one. I've been in and out of beds for the past few years, and I don't even remember how many or who. I'm used and discarded." The words were heavy and bitter, burning his tongue, but Bokuto deserved to know what he was getting into. Experience was only so enviable, and Akaashi was nothing special.

"Keiji," Bokuto whispered, then let out a small whimper. Akaashi glanced up in surprise, not sure what could have caused such a noise. "You don't really think that about yourself, do you?"

Akaashi hesitated, and that was enough for Bokuto to yank Akaashi to his chest. "Keiji Keiji Keiji Keiji Keiji," he chanted, vigorously rubbing his back. "You're not discarded. You are loved and valuable. You are treasure to me, and I don't care how many people you slept with as long as they had your consent. You are worth the entire world to me, and having had sex does not undermine any of that."

Letting out a shuddering gasp, Akaashi clung to Bokuto. He could barely believe the kindness of the words, but his boyfriend's eyes had been as open and honest as always. Bokuto's chest was warm and firm, and Akaashi felt that if he could just stay in this spot forever, he could dismiss all of his worries. Shifting his head over slightly, he positioned his ear over Bokuto's heart and listened to the gentle, steady beat as it pumped blood throughout his body all the way up to where his fingers were carding through Akaashi's hair, the other warm hand wrapped around his waist. His breathing gradually slowed, and he pressed his lips against his shirt to the rhythm of his heart.

Moving his head up, he started laying kisses up Bokuto's neck.

"I love you."

Akaashi had whispered it against Bokuto's ear, the words out before he could even think about it. It shocked himself to hear, but he realized that the words hadn't been wrong. He did love Bokuto. "I love you," he repeated, then starting laughing softly. Large hands wrapped around his waist, lifting him up. Wide eyes gazed at him, and Akaashi felt himself blush.

"I love you too, Keiji!" Bokuto said, pulling him back to his chest. "I love you! I love you, I love you, I love you, and I want to stay with your forever." Akaashi laughed again, fondly amused at Bokuto's earnestness.

"I want to stay with you, too," Akaashi said, smiling as he felt how fast Bokuto's heart rate was, then blushing as he realized his was pounding just as hard. "I love Bokuto Koutarou."

And if they stayed like that for just a little too long, murmuring I love you's and trying to bury impossibly deeper into the other's skin, well, that was no one else's business.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After way too much deleting, rewriting, and wishing I'd outlined this before I wrote it (whoops), I finally came up with a Chapter 8 that I actually feel good about. So... um... let me know what you think? And is there anything you still want to see in the next two chapters before this *gasp* ends?

**Author's Note:**

> I'm already working on another chapter, so fear not! It is coming soon. Oh, and sorry about the italics; ao3 was being glitchy.
> 
> Thanks for reading, and please leave feedback in the comments :)
> 
> You can find on tumblr at am-i-write


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